Thread-guide for sewing-machines.



R. J. PLAATJE.

THREAD GUIDE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SBPTJ, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH c0-. WASHINUTON, D- C.

RICHARD J. PLAA'IJE,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THREADGUIDE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 1, 1911.

Patented Aug. 6,1912.

Serial No. 647,287.

' clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in sewlng machlne attachments.

With the ordinary sewing machine a good deal of difficulty is experienced from the fact that the thread, as it is pulled along by more or less intermittent movement, will sometimes jump over the end of the spool and get entangled on the spindle. When this happens, the thread is often broken, or if not broken, it is knotted or if neither occurs, it gets entangled so that the operator has to stop and fix it. Moreover, in such cases, the thread will sometimes pull hard enough on the point of the needle to deflect it slightly and it will strike on some part of the machine and break the needle point.

The object of my invention is to produce a very simple and inexpensive attachment, which can be easily attached to or taken from the arm of any sewing machine and which will guide the thread so as to prevent any of the above-mentioned ditliculties. Further, I. arrange the device so that it acts in a measure, as a tension device and improves the tension on the thread.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing, in a general way, a common form of sewing machine with my attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan View on an enlarged scale, of the attachment. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the attachment and Fig. 4: is a front View thereof.

The spindle 10 is common to all sewing machines and is generally arranged on the top of the arm or near its base. This spin dle is adapted to receive one of the holes 10 in the base plate 12 of the attachment, and it also receives the spool 11 which sits on the spindle as usual and rests on the plate 12. There are two of these holes 10 shown, the spindle 10 extending through one of them, but a greater or less number can be provided and the object is to bring the spool nearer to or farther away from the guide hereinafter referred to, according as the spool is relatively large or small. Ifa small spool is used, it is naturally placed nearer the guide and so the hole 1O nearest the guide, is slipped on over the spindle 10.

The plate 12 is provided with a vertical member 13 and near the junction the plate 12 is bent downward, as shown at 14, so that this member 14 will set firmly on the arm of the sewing machine. I make this bend be cause sewing machine arms are of different shapes and this enables the device to be adapted to any usual shape of arm. The member 13 is provided with a slot 15 through which the thread 16 runs, and a guide rod 17 is arranged vertically behind the member 13 and between it and the spindle 10 and spool 11. This rod 17 can be in the form of a simple wire and can be attached in any convenient way. I have shown a convenient arrangement in which the top of the wire or red is bent forward, as shown at 18, and attached to the top of the member 13 while the bottom extends through the plate 12 and is bent to form a keeper 19 in which is pivoted the clamp 20. This clamp, as shown, is a U shaped spring adapted to straddle the arm of the sewing machine and clamp the device in place but obviously, a great many kinds of clamps might be used without departing from the principle of the invention. The object in having it pivoted, as shown, is to enable it to fold up flatwise against the plate 12 for convenience in shipping and handling when the device is not in position on the sewing machine.

When the device is to be used, the plate 12 is placed over the spindle 10 so as to lie fiatwise on the arm of the machine and if a small spool is to be used, the spindle is inserted in the front hole of the plate 12 and if a larger spool is to be used, it is inserted farther back and, as previously stated, as many holes can be provided as may be necessary. The thread is then run to one side of the guide rod 17 through the slot 15 of the member 13, and is threaded through the machine in the ordinary manner. It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that this arrangement causes the thread to draw at an angle across the rod 17 so that the latter serves as a tension device and the slot 15 e1- fectually prevents the thread from jumping over either end of the spool. It will be further observed that the device can be instantly applied to or removed from the machine.

It will, of course, be understood that the device can be made in very many difi'erent designs and that the shape of the parts is not very essential, the main thing being to provide a suitable base which can be applied to the spindle 10 and in which the guide slot 15 and guide rod 17 will have the right relation to the spool. Also that a suitable clamping device he used for attaching the guide to the machine.

I claim:

1. A thread guide for sewing machines comprising a base portion adapted to ride on the arm of a sewing machine and having means for connecting with the spool spindle, a vertical perforated member leading from said base, a guide rod extending downward from the top of the perforated member to I the base and behind the perforation in said' vertical member, and a fastening device to secure the base to the arm of the sewing machine in advance of the spool spindle.

2. A thread guide for sewing machines, comprising a base having an adjustable connection with the spool spindle of a sewing machine and adapted to ride on the sewing machine arm, a vertical member rising from the base and having a thread hole therethrough, a guide rod behind the vertical member, and a-spring clamp attached to the base and adapted to fasten it to the sewing machine arm.

3. A thread guide for sewing machines comprising a base portion adapted to ride on the arm of a sewing machine, a vertical perforated member leading from said base, a guide rod vertically arranged behind the perforations in said vertical member, and means to secure the base to the arm of the sewing machine a definite distance in advance of the spool spindle.

RICHARD J. PLAATJE.

Witnesses:

WARREN B. HuTcHINsoN, ARTHUR G. DANNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

